It's Just A Matter Of Life

It’s Just A Matter Of Life

Text: Jeremiah 38: 1-13

Commentary on Text

Situation of Jerusalem

Message of Jeremiah

Opposition to Jeremiah

Weakness of the king

Imprisonment

Lesson #1: We all face trials in life.

Lesson #2: During our trials we discover the worst life has to offer.

Bargaining Freedom

Lesson #3: There is someone waiting to pull us out of our pit.

It’s Just A Matter Of Life

Text: Jeremiah 38: 1-13

Pastor Doug Forsberg, an associate at Bethany First Church of the Nazarene recently spoke of an experience he had while pastoring a small church in Florida. It involved a member of his church, an older gentleman by the name of Benny. Now Benny was about ninety-nine to one hundred years old and he lived in the local nursing home. One day while in the midst of his usual duties Pastor Doug got a call from Benny, out at the nursing home. Benny called up and said, "Hurry, hurry. Pastor Doug I’ve got to see you right now. It’s important. Please hurry." Pastor Doug, knowing Benny’s age feared the worst, so he dropped everything and ran out to the nursing home to see what emergency Benny was facing. When he arrived pastor Doug asked Benny, "Well Benny, what’s the emergency? What’s so important?" Benny looked up at the pastor and replied, "Pastor Doug, I’m goinna get married, and I’ve called you out because I want you to perform the ceremony." Pastor Doug was kinda taken back and he said, "Uh, OK, but first tell me something about this woman?" Benny replied, "OK." Doug asked, "Is she a Christian?" He said, "No!" Pastor Doug said, "All right, is she beautiful?" "No!" Pastor Doug is like, "Well, OK." He said, "Now I’m just asking to ask, not implying too much, but Benny, is she rich?" Benny said, "Nope!" Pastor Doug was really taken back, so he finally asked, "Benny, why on earth do you want to marry this woman?" Benny look him right in the eye and grinned, "Because she can drive at night!"

(Pause) It’s nice to supplement our weaknesses with someone else’s strengths.

Text: Jeremiah 38: 1-13.

Commentary on Text:

Situation of Jerusalem

Message of Jeremiah

Opposition to Jeremiah

Weakness of the king

Imprisonment

We live in interesting times. Or, so people say. Jeremiah certainly lived in interesting times. He lived through what would be the last days of the Kingdom of Israel. Jerusalem is under siege. The Chaldeans have encompassed the land defeating all who oppose them; including the Egyptians. Now they are at the gates of Jerusalem. If I could equate this to our lives today it would be something like this. A nation rises in power. A nation the size of Russia, Europe, and China. This nation establishes massive naval blockades on both our Atlantic and Pacific borders. Large garrisons of soldiers are stationed on both our northern and southern borders. Hawaii has fallen, and so has Alaska. As a nation we are pinned in waiting to see what happens. And, that is the nature of a siege. You sit and wait for an opportune moment. For over a decade it is famed that a Greek army laid siege to Troy; waiting for that one opportune moment when one man’s vision gave rise to success. Jerusalem is under siege. A siege which has lasted for nearly two years. Trade routes have been cut. Food supplies have dwindled. Irritability is at an all time high. Morale is at an all time low. And Jeremiah is preaching treason. "Thus says the LORD, "He who stays in this city will die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence; but he who goes out to the Chaldeans will live; he will have his life as a prize of war, and live. Thus says the LORD, This city shall surely be given into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon and be taken."

One of the keys to a battle, any battle, is the confidence of the soldiers. When confidence is high, soldiers fight well. But when confidence falls, morale falls, and soldiers are more likely to desert or just give up. God told Gideon, with an army of over 30,000, "Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home." [Judges 7:3] Get rid of them. FEAR IS A SOLDIERS WORST ENEMY, AND AN ENEMIES BEST FRIEND.

Jeremiah is preaching treason, and his treason has angered the nobles of the land, because if Jerusalem falls, they have the most to lose. So they cry to the king, "Let this man be put to death, for he is weakening the hands of the soldiers who are left in this city, speaking such words to them. For this man is not seeking the welfare of this people, but their harm."